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Best Jerusalem Old City Sites

You could spend months discovering Jerusalem Old City treasures (- and we have!). But since your time is probably limited, we've put together a list of our 10 favorite Jerusalem Old City sites not to miss when you tour Jerusalem.

Of course, these are in addition to the absolute must-see sites: the Western Wall, the Holy Sepulcher and the Temple Mount.

Here, you'll find a short description the sites. Click on the site name to find out more about it.

And be sure to check at the bottom of this page for our bonus sites, too.

1. The Tower of David

the tower of the David Citadel

Just inside Jaffa Gate, the Tower of David Museum walks you through 4000 years of ancient Jerusalem Old City history and there’s a great view of the city from the tower.

Hours: Sun- Thur 10:00 – 16:00, Sat 10:00 - 14:00

Admission: 30 NIS adults; 15 NIS children

2. The Western Wall Tunnels

To the left of the Western Wall.

Tour the tunnels along the foundations of the First and Second Temples. The Western Wall Heritage Foundation has just opened the Generations Center in the tunnels, a sound and light show based around glass sculptures that tell the story of Jerusalem.

Reservations required: Call 1-599-515-888 (in Israel) or 972-2-627-1333 (from outside Israel).

Hours: Sun-Thu: 08:00-20:00

Admission: 20 NIS adults; 10 NIS children/students/seniors: 10 NIS

3. Ophel Archaeological Park

Part of any Jerusalem tour: The Ophel Archaeological Gardens

To the right of the Western Wall Plaza are the archaeological excavations at the foot of the Temple Mount. You can visit on your own, or make arrangements for a guided tour in English if you call ahead.

Tel: 627-7550

Hours: Sun-Thu: 08:00-17:00 Fri: 08:00-14:00

Admission: 30 NIS adults; 16 NIS children/seniors/students

4. The Burnt House

2 Tiferet Israel St, in the Jewish Quarter

Floor plan of the Burnt House in Jerusalem Old City

Visit the remains of a priestly home that was destroyed when Jerusalem fell in the year 70 CE. The sound and light show makes the fall of Jerusalem chillingly real.

Hours: Sun-Thu: 09:00-17:00 Fri: 09:00-13:00

Admission: 25 NIS adults; 12 NIS children

5. The Yad Ben Zvi Ariel Center for Jerusalem in the First Temple Period

Corner of Bonei Hahoma and Plugat Hakotel streets.

This is a very kid-friendly museum. The center has a model of Jerusalem in the first-temple period, interactive activities for kids that focus on ancient life, and a very clever audiovisual show.

Hours: Sun-Thu: 09:00-16:00

Admission: 18 NIS adults; 14 NIS children

6. The Wohl Museum of Archaeology

1 Hakarim St.

Excavations at the Wohl Museum in Jerusalem's Old City

This was a priestly home during the days of the Second Temple. Behind the modern facade, you can see ritual baths, frescoes and get an idea of what daily life was like.

Hours: Sun-Thu: 09:00-17:00 Fri: 09:00-13:00

Admission: 15 NIS adults; 7 NIS children

7. The Temple Institute

19 Misgav Ladakh St.

Actor dressed as King David with his lyre in the Old City.

The museum houses reproductions of the implements used in the service of the Temple and of priestly vestments. There is also a model of what the Temple looked like.

Hours: Sun-Thu: 09:00-17:00 Fri: 09:00-12:00

Admission: 20 NIS adults; 15 NIS children

8. The Ramparts Walk

School kids on the Ramparts Walk in Jerusalem

If you enter the old city through Jaffa Gate, you can do a self-guided walk on the ramparts of the old city. There are informational plaques in English every several hundred feet to give you an idea of what you are seeing. The views of both the old city and the city outside the walls are magnificent. One path goes from Jaffa Gate to Dung Gate and the other from Jaffa Gate to Lions Gate.

Hours: Sun-Sat: 09:00-16:00; Fri and holiday eves (the path to Lions Gate may be closed): 09:00-14:00

Admission: 16 NIS adults; 8 NIS children/students/seniors: 8 NIS

9. The Cardo

Start in the Jewish Quarter.

Man walking in the Cardo in Jerusalem Old City

What we now call the Jerusalem Old City was the thriving metropolis Aelia Capitolina during the Roman and Byzantine period. The Cardo was the commercial center of that ancient city. Ancient columns and shops are visible. The roofed part, reconstructed in Crusader times, now houses boutiques and archaeological sites side-by-side. The Cardo leads to the Arab shuk.

10. Alone on the Wall

In the Cardo

For a change of pace, step out of ancient history into the modern era. This permanent photo exhibit documents the last days of the Jewish Quarter before the Jerusalem Old City fell at the hands of the Jordanians in 1948.

Hours: Sun-Thur: 10:00-15:00; Fri and holiday eves: 9:00-13:00.

Admission: Free

Our bonus suggestions continue your journey back in time, to a period when the biblical town lay outside the Jerusalem Old City walls we see today.

11. The City of David and Hezekiah’s Tunnels

Just outside the Old City. Go out Dung Gate and turn left. Make a right on Maalot Ir David Street.

At the City of David, you can go down Warren’s Shaft and wade through Hezekiah’s Tunnels. The tunnel ends up in the Shiloah Pool. This is a great activity to do with older kids and teenagers.

Hours: Sun-Thu: 08:00-17:00 Fri: 08:00-13:00

Admission: 23 NIS adults; 12 NIS children/seniors

TIP: Make sure to bring the appropriate gear for Hezekiah's Tunnel.

This is activity is best done in the spring, summer or fall - the water is freezing cold in the winter.

12. Hiking Outside the Walls

For a fascinating hike through ancient Jerusalem history, take the Jerusalem Trail mp3 tour (4-6 hours) which takes you around the outside walls of the old city, the Ben-Hinnom Valley, the pool of Siloam, the City of David, Absalom’s tomb, the Kidron Valley, and on to Mt. Scopus.

absalom tomb jerusalem